RSPB Scotland Loch Leven's writer in residence Anita John brings us news from the reserve along with wildlife sightings and upcoming events. Anita is a poet and author who is helping to gather stories of the reserve in 2017 as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations.
Recent sightings to stir excitement at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven include a female ruff, eleven black-tailed godwits, eight greylag goslings, two great-crested grebes, flocks of pink-footed geese passing through and a small flock of barnacle geese, to name just a few!
The black-tailed godwits, elongated and beautiful in flight (as seen below), are known in Gaelic as cearra-ghob - awkward beak. Given their bill length can range between 8 and 12 cm, it is hardly surprising they have acquired such a name! But what a great tool for probing the soft earth for worms, snails and insects. These waders are on the Red list of the RSPB's highest conservation priorities so it's good to see them at RSPB Scotland Loch Leven.
The first swallow was sighted over the centre on 9th April, and the first sandmartins over the wetlands of the Waterston Hide on 11 April. Also, (delight, delight!), the willow warblers are back, gracing the woodlands with their gentle song, and on my weekly tour of the Heritage Trail, towards Findatie, a single chiffchaff sat high in the leafing willow singing its heart out to whoever wanted to listen. It amazes me how timely is the return of these four spring birds to Loch Leven each year. In 2016 the first sandmartins arrived on 4 April, the first swallow on 11 April and the first willow warbler and chiffchaff on 8 April. So they're back, pretty much bang on time!
The Carden Hide today was a melee of noise and activity with many black-headed gulls mating, fighting and generally causing a furore around the rafts on the water including the raft most recently installed by our volunteers (see here). After all their hard work it was good to see the rafts being used for breeding purposes!
Across the waters from the Carden Hide, 250 pink-footed geese fed on the grass and occasionally took to the air in small but dramatic flocks. Also to be sighted were pochards, goldeneyes, tufted ducks, mallards, great-crested grebes, a female ruff, oystercatchers, lapwings, and snipe, as well as seven whooper swans, identified by their beautiful yellow and black beaks. Several shelducks were happily feeding too, their bright red beaks shining vividly when the sun caught them.
And last, but not least, the lapwings are stealing the show at the reserve with their spring calls and flight displays. Join in our Easter Lapwing Trail this weekend and catch sight of their sensational somersaulting antics! Children and families most welcome!
That's all until next week! Anita
Photo: Black-tailed godwits (Alex Gilfillan); Chiffchaff (Paul Ashcroft); Black-headed gulls (Paul Ashcroft); Shelduck (Dave Veitch); Lapwings (Paul Ashcroft)